Jarryd Hayne comes clean on slipping away to Eels

JARRYD Hayne has reportedly begun telling senior Gold Coast Titans officials he does not intend to return to the club in 2018.

The former Parramatta star has been linked with a return to the Eels on a cut-price deal worth reportedly just $500,000 to $600,000 on a one-year contract designed to bring him closer to his family based in Sydney.

While Hayne has repeatedly denied the reports he is on the way out at the Titans, the former NFL running back on Thursday officially asked for a release with a full season still to run on his contract.

Hayne was accused of stringing the Titans along in an attempt to hold onto $180,000 in "holiday pay" by planning to only tell the club of his intent to walk away in January before his return to pre-season training following a break after the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

The move would reportedly allow Hayne to continue his monthly payments of $90,000 under his deal with the Titans before he accepts his cut-price deal with the Eels.

The Daily Telegraph reported earlier this month Hayne stood to receive $90,000 on November 30 and December 30 if still employed by the Titans.

Hayne will be giving up a rich $1.2 million per season deal to return to the Eels and he's already made up his mind, according to reports.

Gold Coast coach Garth Brennan earlier this week said the Titans decision to recruit new assistant coach Luke Burt and other former Parramatta support staff was not done simply to appease Hayne.

Burt, who played with and coached Jarryd Hayne at the Eels, began life at the Titans this week, joining new strength and conditioning gurus Hayden Knowles and Craig Catterick.

In an unprompted address to media after training on Tuesday, Brennan said the trio's links to the 29-year-old did not weigh into his decision to hire them.

"(Their appointments) are all in relation to their ability and I felt it was disrespectful to those guys that they were reported as me bringing them to the Gold Coast Titans simply because of their relationship with Jarryd," Brennan said.